Holland's self-proclaimed new Waltz King,
André Rieu, has experienced tremendous success in both Europe and, unusually for a European crossover artist, the U.S., where his festive performances have become staples of the PBS television network's annual fundraising programming. The result has been a flood of
Rieu discs that may confuse the new buyer simply interested in a fair sampling of what
Rieu does and what has made him so popular. His recent concerts from his home base of Maastricht have evolved into extravaganzas featuring U.S. gospel singers and the like, with his one-time salon orchestra taking on symphonic dimensions. On the other hand, the market is awash in more or less random reissues of early
Rieu discs of highly variable quality. This release from the major Philips label solves the new listener's problem. It is heavy on the
Strauss waltzes that still make up the backbone of his repertoire, beefed up in their arrangements with space carved out for
Rieu's own violin. Favorites are left more or less intact, while highlights of lesser-known pieces are combined into medleys. The inclusion of the Second Waltz from
Shostakovich's Suite No. 2 for Jazz Orchestra is welcome; strange as it may seem for this rather acerbic waltz, it was one of the pieces with which
Rieu launched the new vogue for waltzes in northwestern Europe. And there's just a moderate dose of the favorite classical tunes that
Rieu weaves expertly into his programs -- it is here, in the likes of the "Meditation" from
Massenet's Thaïs, that his violin really comes to the fore. This is a compilation of
Rieu recordings from the 1990s, and for his hardcore fans it probably doesn't contain anything new. If you've just stumbled on His Longhairness during your local PBS pledge drive, however, this is a good disc to pick.